Gas-engine



3 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

J. WEHR'SGHMIDT.

dnl/@Meinung Patented 001;.q 11, 1892..

Hllll GAS ENGINE.-

sheets-sheet 2.

J. .WBHRSGHMIDT l (No Model.)

GAS ENGINE.

L. .ai 1 d nu womboz 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

" J. WEHRSCHMIDT.

' GAS ENGINE. f

* f UNITED STATES JQHN YVEIRSCIIMIDT, OF CLEVELAND, O'llIO.

GAS-ENGiN SPECIFICATION' formingpcrt .of iette'rsitent No. 484,168, dated October 11, 1892.

Application illed December 31, 18.91. Serial No. 416,666. (No model.)

To 2li whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN WEHRSCHMIDT,

of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga. and.

State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a' specification..

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements m gas-engines; and 1t.

i consists, substantially, in such features of arrangement, construction, and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter be more particularly described andlclaimcd.

The invention has for its object to produce a. gas-engine which shall possess thecombined chnracteristics ol durability and simplicity,

as well, also, as to produce an engine which is not liable to get' out of order er be subject to fluctuation during the time it is pertforming its work.

The invention also has-for its object to pr vide an engine of the character referred to which shall 4be positive in action and one in which each and every part thereof shall always be reliable in operation.

The invention has for its still further object. to provide a novel arrangement of vel ves for regulating the number of explosions in the igniting device.

from the engineandfor controlling the sdf mission of the hot. gas and compressed air.

' Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cylinder and valve-chests- Fig. 5 represents a side elevation, enlarged, the valves and their chests bcing shown in section. Fig. 6 is a'detail view of the spring-actuated sliding hars that are connected with the governor and which serve4 to control the valves.

Before proceeding with a. more detailed description it should be stated that the ciass of engines to which my invention more partici larly relates is. that in which amixtnre of air and gas is exploded within aeyli nder at regnlnr intervals to develop themotive power of the engine, the said mixture' by its explosive force serving to operate a. piston, which in turn communicates its motion to the drivesha-ft by means of. suitable intermediate mechanism. The devices emplo ved` arel made to operate in 'such mannerA as that no loss of motio'n isincurrerhand the engine is maintained at a. regular and uniform rate of speed'. The gas or vapor after exerting its expansive force is exhausted into e reset-voi r, from whence itis conveyed heck tothe cylindeigand, mixing with compressed nir, serves to propel the piston forward upon its .next stroke. The air is compressed in the lower' part of the cylinder bythe movement of 'the piston and is passed through a'receiver that is heated by the exhaust from thc'eng'me. 'lhencc it passes through achalnher surrounding vthe upper portion of the cylinder, whereitstemperatureA is further raised before entering the cylinder.

Reference being had to the several pariset" the drawings bythe reference-numerals indicated thereon, 1' representsV n vertically-arranged cylit1dcrwithin which worksa reciprocating piston 2, which is connected by e.

pitman 2' to the engine-shaft 3.. This cylinder is made up of two sections (an 4upper and lower one) bolted or otherwise secured together, .and to the vopper section are secured two cylindrical valve-chests 4 and v5. The chest 4 is divided into fourchambersby means of partitions 6 7 8, which chambers con1municate one with the other hyineans 0f. vnlveopeningsrlO, 1l, and 12. Connected with the' top chamber is a. gas-inlet pipe 12', that is provided ivith a valve 13 for regulating the snpply of gas, and with the next adjoining chamber is connected an airin1et pipe 111.v The valveopening 1t) is smaller than the opening 11,in order that the supply of air will exceed that of ges, and said openings are closed by puppet-valves 15 and 16, mounted on a common stem 17 and opening downward.

top of the valvechest and is provided at its upper end with a collar 19, between-which and the said boss isarranged a coiled spring 20,

that normally maintains seid valves closed.

. A cylinder 21..-s iitted everlthe boss. tightly,

valve-stem 17 passes through a boss 1S on the' roo Y and thereby prevents the escape of gas. The chamber below the valve-opening 11 communicates with the cylinder 1 by means of a port 2l, and the valve-opening 12 is closed by a valve 22, mounted on a stem 23, that passes through the lower end ofthe chest and which is provided near its bottom with acollar 24, between which and the bottom of the chest is arranged a. coiled spring 25, which serves to normally keep said valve closed. The chamber below the partition 8 is provided witha port 26, which communicates by means of a passage 27 with a similar port 30 in the chest 5. The chest 5 .is provided with four ports 28, 29, 30, and 31, the port 28 being for the admission of compressed. air, the port 29 communicating with a' reservoir for storing the exploded gas, the port 30 communicating with the port 26yin the chest 4, and the port 431 forming an exhaust. The chest is also provided with aport 28, which communicates with port 28 and is merely for balancing the valve 37, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Working within the chest 5 is acylin'drcal valve 32, of a sufficient 'length to cover the ports 28 and 29, and this valve is provided with a seriesof perforations33,extending from end to end thereof, for the passage' of coinpressed air, and mounted on the same stem 34, at opposite ends thereof, are integral pistous 35 and 36, which tit and work in the ends of the valve-chest.` Looselyiitted upon the valve-stem between the piston 35 and the valve 32 is a cylindrical valve 37, whichhas a movement upon the stem equal to the width of port 28 and is provided with a metallic packing'-38, that .so binds the valve within the chest as to prevent it from dropping or lowering by gravity.' Also loosely fitted upon the lower end of the valve-stem above the piston 36 is a cup-shaped valve 39, within which lits the lower portion of the valve 32, the said valve 39 having a movement or play upon the stem equal to the width of the port 30. 'Ihis valve is also provided with a metallic packing 38' for the purpose before stated with reference to valve 37. The lower end of the valvestem 34 passes through the lower end of the valve-chest and is provided near its bottom with a collar 40, between which and the bottom of the valv -chest is arranged a coiled spring 41, the tendency of which is to draw the valvestem and valves downward.

The reference-numeral 42 indicates the reservoir for the hot gas and air which has been exploded inthe cylinder, said reservoir being provided with a pipe 43, which communicates .with the ort 29, the gas after its explosion in the cylin er exhausting from said cylinder through the port 21 under the valve 22, through the port 26, passage 27, port 80,. and by pipe 43 into the reservoir 42. The reservoir 42 is preferably filled or packed with wire-gauze or equivalent material arranged in the form of disks or sheets for the purpose of absorbing heat and maintaining the heated gases at a high temperature. Said reservoir may, if desired, be connected with one or more reservoirs of similar construction, so as to prevent back-pressure on the piston when the exploded mixture exhausts into said reservoir 42.

The bottom of cylinder 1 is provided with an air-inlet 44 and an ontlet45, within which are seated check-valves 46 and 47, arranged to open and close in opposite directions, andA the outlet 45 is connected with a pipe 48, which communicateswith an air-receiver 49. 'lhe piston 2 in its upward movement within the cylinder will draw in air through the inlet 44 and upon its downward stroke will compress the air and force the same into the receiver, the valves 46 `and 47 operating at the same time in an obvious manner. The -lower section of cylinder 1 (comprising the air-compresser) has formed within its walls an annular water-space 58, designed to keep said cyll inder cool by a supply of cold water.

Within the receiver 49 is arranged a series of vertical tubes 50, similar to the watertnbes of a steam-boiler, which tubes are tapped through heads 51, arranged air-tight within said receiver. The port 31 is connected by means of a pipe 52 with the space in the recever surrounding the tubes 50,'so that the hot exhaust from the engine passes around said tubes andout into theat mosphere through an outlet 53. The compressed air as it passes through said tubesisheated bythehot exhaust, and by means of a pipe 54, which is connected at one end to said receiver and at itslgother end with an annular chamber 55, formed in the' walls of the upper section of the cylinder 1, the compressed air is carried to the said chamber (around the cylinder) and is thereby still further heated. The annular chamber 55 is provided with an outlet-pipe 56, which communicates with the port 28 and is provided with a check-valve 57, which closes s aid` outlet-pipe whenever the pressure in the cylinder exceeds that in the chamber. Such ex'- cess of pressure may occur before the valve 37 closes the port 28 on account of the expassion of the hot gases and alrin the cylinder 1.

The numerals 59'and 60 indicate push-rods, which slide in bearings 61, secured tothe cylinder, and adapted, respectively, to engage the lower ends of the valve-stein 23 and collar 24, as hereinafter described. The pushrod 59 is connected by means of a rod 61 to a crank-wheel 62, provided upon its 'peripheryv with gear-teeth, and this crank-wheel meshes with a gear-wheel 63, mounted on the engineshaft 3, the gear-wheel 63 being one-half the diameter of the crank-wheel 62, so that the push-rod 59 will only accomplish one full upand-down strokedurin g two revolutions of the engine-shaft. The red 60 is connected by means of a rod-64 to an eccentric 64 on the engine-shaft', whereby said push-rod will make one complete np-and-down stroke with every revolution of the shaft. At a suitable IOO point Vupon the cylinder is secured a horizontal dovetailed bearing-block 65, within which are fitted two bars 66 and 67, that are adapted to slide back and forth in said block. Said bars at their adjacent ends are provided with npturned perforated ears 68 and 69. In the ear 68 is rigidlysecuredarod 70, whichpasses loosely through the perforated ear 69 and at its free' end is provided with two jam-nuts 7l. Arranged upon the rod 70, between the ears 68 and 69, is a coiled spring 72, and a similar spring 73 is disposed between the ear 69 and nuts 71, whereby the said bars may have a limited movement independent of each other. At suitable points on said bars 66 and 67 are secured vertically-disposed lugs 7 4 and 75, the tops of which are beveled, as shown, to forni knife-edges 76 and 77 at the upper and inner edges of saidlugs. The lower and outer edges of the collars 24 and 40 are recessed at 7S and 78a, said recesses being adapted to be engaged by said lugs and raise the valve-stems 25 and 34 up out of engagement with the push-rods 59 and 60 in the manner hereinafter explained. Pivotally connected to the outer end of bar 66 is a link 80, which in turn is pivoted to one arm of a pivoted bell-crank lever 81, the other end of said lever being engaged by the sliding collar 82 of acentrifugal governor 83, and as the speed of the engine increases andthe collar 82 is raised the bellcrank lever and pivoted link'draw the bar 66 to the right and operate the valves that control the engine, as will hereinafter appear. i

The ignitor for exploding the mixture of gas and air Within the cylinder is constructed as follows: The. top of the cylinder is provided with a valve-opening 84, in which are arranged oppositely-disposed puppet-valves 85 and 86, carried by a valve-stem-87. The distance between the valves is such that one valve will lbe open when the other is closed, and vice versa. cylinder is provided with ahollow. boss 88, perforated at its top, and within said perforation is tapped a hollow screw-threaded nut 89, through which passes the upperend ofthe valve-stem 87. A coiled sprin g 90 is arranged on said valve-stem between the nut 89 andv valve S5 and exerts its force to close'said valve, the tension of this spring being adjusted by means of the nut-89.` The hollow boss 88 is provided with a lateral opening 91,

which communicates-with a tube 92, in which is arranged a gas-burner 93, connected with a Y Suitable gas-supply pipe 94. `In'operat'ion the valve .S5 lis normally kept closed by the spring 90;'but when the piston is Yon its downward stroke it draws into'the cylinder a mixture of air and gas and on its upward stroke will force aportion of the mixture into the space between the valves S6 and 85, and when in its upstroke the piston compresses the gas and air withinthecylinder the valveSG will close and open the valve 65A andthe gas in the space between the valves 85' and 86 will become ignited from the llame of the burner 93,

Over the valve-opening thel and as the piston starts on the return stroke thevalve 85 closes, the valve 86 opens, and the burning air and gas in the space between said valves wili'ignite the compressed gas and air in the cylinder and explode the same above the piston.

The operation is as follows: As before described, the push-rods 59 and 60 are so geared with Vthe engine-shaft that the rod 59 is moved up and down only7 once in two revolutions of said shaft, while' the rod 60 makes one full up-and-down stroke at every revolution ofthe shaft. Now when the engine is at rest the governor will draw the bars 66 and 67 toward the left and the valve-stem 23 will be forced down into position to Abe engaged by the pushrod 59 and the valve 22 closed,'while the valvestem 34 will be held up (the collar 40 resting on thelug 75) and the valve 32 in raised position. To start the'engine,'power is applied to the shaft by hand in order to move the piston. The piston on'its downstroke createsa partial vacuum above it and opens the'valves 15 and 16 and admits a quantity of gas and air to the cylinder through theport 21a. Upon the upstroke ofthe piston the valves 15'a`nd 16. are closed and the gas and air compressed, and upon the return stroke the mixture is ignited and exploded, as before stated, the piston being propelled downward. Upon the return upward stroke the push-rod' 59 will lift the valve 22, and the explodedmixture will be forced b'y'the piston through the port 26 vand Ipassage 27 and thence through 'the port 30 and pipee into the reservoir 42.

In the movementof the piston up and down within the cylinder it has been compressing and forcing air, as before described, into the receiver 49 andV up into the chamber-l 55 in the upper wall of the cylinder, the air being irst heated iin the receiver and 'further heated'in said chamber.` This operation is repeated continuously, and when the speed of thexengine becomes too great the governor acts to force the bars 66 and 67 towardithe right,land as soonas the" push-rod 59 has raised' the valve-steni23 the lug 74c passes under the recessed collar 24 and holds the valve 22 open; As the bar 66 is forced toward the right the spring 72 is'compressed betweenA the ears 68 and 69, and when the push-rod 60 engages the valve-stem 34 and slightly-'raises the collar 40 fromv engagement with the lug 75 the bar 67 is forced by said spring to the right and the spring 41 forces thev stem 34 downward and starts-the Too l IIO heated compressed air through the port 28, through the valve 32, and into the cylinder through the same ports by which the gas from the receiver passed. As the compressed air mingles with' the hot gas its volume and temperature are increased, and,expandin g, drives the piston upon its downstroke. When the piston has completed about one-half of its downstroke, the valve 37 closes the port 28, shutting off the entrance of compressed air, and as the piston arrives near the end of the stroke the valve 32 forces down the valve 39 and opens port 3l, and at the upward or return stroke of said piston the contents of the cylinder Yare discharged through the ports 2l, 26, 27, 30, and 3l, through the pipe 52, and

thence through the compressed-air receiver 49 to the atmosphere. Vhen the piston is making its return upstroke, the valve 39 is raised by the piston 36 and closes the exhaust-port 3l, and at the same time the valve 32 has commenced to open the port 29 again to admit gas to the cylinder, and upon the return stroke of the piston the before-described operation of the valves is repeated. As the speed of the engine decreases the governor will act to draw the bars 66 and 67 toward the left, and when the collar 24 is slightly raised by the push-rod 59 it will disengage the lug 74 from the collar and the bar 66 will be drawn to the left and the stem 23 forced down by the spring 25, thereby closing the valve 22 and allowing the stem 23 to be operated by the push-rod 59. When the bar 66 is drawn to the left by thegovernor, the

spring 73 is compressed ,between the nuts 71 and the lug 69 of kthe .bar 67. As the valvestem 34E is raised by the push-rod 60 the collar releases the lug 75 and the spring 73 gas from Athe receiver to the cylinder.

. admitting `air and gas, and when the piston returns upon its upstroke the air and gas are compressed and ignited, as before described.

As further explanatory of the operation it may be stated that when the valve 32 starts to move upward it pushes the valve 37 with it and prevents the compressed air from entering the cylinder again.

'From the foregoing it will be understood that agreat economy in the amount of gas consumed is eifected, for by exhausting and storing up the gas after it has been exploded f in the cylinder and combining-it with compressed air Vheated by the exhaust from the engine, power is developed to propel the pis` ton that would otherwise be wasted, compelling repeated and uninterrupted explo- 'sions of gasto keep .the engine running.

Further, a great saving is also effected by automatically regulating the number of explosions in the cylinder by the speed of the engine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire `to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. In a gas-engine of the character described, the combination, with the cylinder, the piston, and an igniting device, of gas and air supply inlets, a discharge-passage communicating with a reservoir, a valve controlling the discharge-passage, valves controlling the gas and air inlets, a compressed-air receiver communicating with the said dischargepassage, and valves arranged between the cylinder and the reservoir and air-receiver,

.and mechanism connected with the engine for operating the said valves, whereby gas and air are first supplied to the cylinder and exploded to propel the piston, the exploded gases discharged into the reservoir and subsequently passed back into the cylinder, and a supply of compressed air admitted to the cylinder to combine with the gas from the reservoir, as set forth.

2. In a gas-engine of the character described, the combination, with the cylinder, piston, and igniting device, of a valve-chest communicating with. the cylinder and provided with valved gas and air inletports and a discharge-port, a valve controlling said `discharge-port, a valve-chest provided with a port communicating with said discharge-port and also provided with ports communicating,

scribed, the combination of the cylinder, one

end whereof is an air-compressor, and the piston, a chamber communicating with the cylinder and provided with valved gas and air supply ports and with a discharge-port, a valve controlling said discharge-port, a chamber provided with a port communicating with said discharge-port and provided with a compressed-air-supply port, a gas-port, and an exhaust-port, valves controlling these ports, a reservoir communicating with said gas-port, an air-receiver communicating with the aircompressor, a pipe connecting said receiver with a chamber surrounding the cylinder, a passage connecting said chamber with said compressed-air-supply port, and a pipe connecting the exhaust-port with the air-receiver.

. 4. In a gas-engine of the character referred to, the combination,with the cylinder, piston, and igniting device, of gas and air supply inlets, valves normally closing said inlets, a discharge-port, a valve controlling said port, said IOO IIO

-' gas and air valves opening on the downstroke of the' piston when the discharge-port is closed, a compressed-air receiver, and a gasreservoir, an exhaust-port, valves controlling 'said ports, mechanism connected with the engine for actuating the valves,and a governor driven by the engine and alternately throw- .ing said valvesin and out of operation, whereby the engine' is alternately operated by exscribed, the combination, with the cylinder,

piston, and ignitingdevice. of gas and air l inlet valves, a dischargevalve, a gas-reset# voir, a compressed -air receiver, valves controlling communication between said reservoir and receiver and the discharge-valve,

mechanism driven by the vengine for actuat- V ing the valves, and mechanism actuated by the enginegovernor for alternately throwing said valves in and out of operation, whereby gas and air are exploded Within the cylinder to propel the piston andthe exploded gas utilized by discharging the same back into the cylinder and combining compressed air therewith to propel the piston by expansion, as set forth.

6. In a gas-engine of the character described, the combination, with the cylinder, piston, and igniting device, of an explodedgas reservoir, a compressed-air receiver, passages connecting the cylinder and the said reservoir and receiver, an exhaust, valves controlling said passages and exhaust, mechanism driven by the engine for engaging the stems of said valves and actuating the same, collars fixed on thevalve-stems, sliding bars provided. with lugs adapted to engage said collars, anda governor driven by the engine and operating said sliding bars to alternately' cause said lugs to engage said collars and hold s aid valves out of engagement with the actuating mechanism, substantially as described.

V7. In a gas-engine of the character described, the combination, with the cylinder, pistomand igniting device, of valved gas and airinlets, the gas-reservoi rand com pressed-air receiver, the connecting passages and valves and the exhaust-port, collars carried by the valve-stems, mechanism driven by the engine for engaging the valve-stems and actuating the valves, and sliding bars provided with lugs and actuated by a governor driven by the engine to cause the lugs to alternately engage said collars and hold the valves ont of engagement with the valve-actuating mechanism, as set forth.

8. The combination, with the cylinder, piston, and ignitor, of the valved gas and air inlets, the exploded-gas reservoir, and compressed-air receiver, the connecting passages and valves, and the exhaust-port, collars carried by the valve-stems and having angularlyrecessed bottoms, mechanism driven by the engine for engaging the valve-stems and actuating the valves, and sliding bars provided with'beveled lugs and actuated by a governor driven by the engine to cause the lugs to alternately engage said collars and hold the valves out of engagement with the valve-actuating mechanism, substantially as shown and set forth.

9. The combination, with the cylinder, the ex ploded-gas reservoir, the com pressed-air receiver, andthe con necti ng passages and valves,

'ot' the valve-stemsprovided with collars 2t and '4l for depressing the valve-stems, push-rods 59 and (50, driven by the engine, for elevating the valve-stems, sliding bars 6G and 67, loosely connected andcarrying the beveled lugs, a spring for forcing said bars apart, a spring for forcingthem together when released, and a governor driven by the engine, connected to one of said sliding bars, and operating to cause said lugs to alternately-engage said collars and hold the valve-stems out ot' engage ment with the push-rods, as set t'orth.

vsprings 25 and ll for depressing the valve stems, puslrrods 59 and 60, adapted to engage and elevate said stems, mechanism for actuating said push-rods, the said push -rod 60 being actuated twice while the rod 59 isV actuated once, sliding bars 66 and 67, carrying beveled lugs vand loosely connected together, a spring i'or forcing said barsapart', a spring for again forcing them together, and a governor driven by the engine, connected to one of said sliding bars and operating to cause said lugs to alternately engage said collars and hold the valve-stems out of eugageinent with the push-rods, as set forth.

1l. ln a gus-engine of the character described, the combination, with the cylinder, piston, and ignitor, of the valve-chest e, corn- -municating with the cylinder and provided with valved gas and air inlets and a discharge-portf2, a valve Z2, actuated by the engine for closing said port, the valve-chest 5, provided with ports 28, 29, 30, and 3l, the port 2S communicating with a compressedair supply, the port 29 with a reservoir for storing explodedv gas, the said port 30 communicating with the said port 2G, and the port 3l with an exhaust, the valve-stem 34, carrying the lixed perforated valve 32 and the pistons 35 and 36, and the sliding valves 37 and 39, carried by the stem vandhaving vlost motion thereon, mechanism driven by the engine for actuating said valves, and-a governor also driven by the engine for automatically'throwing said valves in and out of operation as the speedof the engine increases and diminishes, as set forth. v v

12. The combination, with the. cylinder, the exploded-gas reservoir, and compressed-air receiver, of the valve-chest 4, communicating IOO IIS

with the cylinder and provided with valved gas and air ports and a valved discharge-port, the valve-chest 5, communicating with said discharge-port and provided with ports communicating with the reservoir and ai r-receiver and with an exhaust, the valve-stem 34, carrylng a perforated valve adapted to alternately open communication between the dischargeport and the reservoir and air-receiver, the valves 37 and 39,1ooselymounted on said stem and having lost motion thereon, the said valve 37 controlling the admission of compressed air and the valve 39 controlling the exhaust, pistons 35 and 36, respectively mounted above and below said valves 37 and 39,and mechanism for operating these valves, as set forth.

I3. In combination with the cylinder, exploded-gas reservoir, and compressed-air receiver, the valve-chest 4L and its inlet and outlet ports and valves, the valve-chest- 5, communicating with the chest 4 and provided with ports leading to the reservoir and airceiver,a check-valve located between said re- 14. In a gas-engine, the combination, with a cylinder and piston and gas and air inlets, of an igniting device consisting of the double puppet-valves 85 and 86, seating in an opening in the end of the cylinder, said opening communicating with a hollow chamber provided with an orifice arranged opposite to a gas-burner, and a spring for normally holding the valve 85 closed and valve 86 open,but yielding to permit the reversal of said valves when the gas and air in the cylinder is compressed by the piston, as set forth.

15. In an igniting device for explosive-gas engines, the combination, with the cylinder and piston, of the hollow boss 88, communieating by an opening with said cylinder, double puppet-valves 85 and 86, seated in said opening, a hollow nut S9, tapped in said boss and guiding the valve-stem, a spring arranged between said valves and nut, and an orifice in said boss located opposite a gas-burner, as set forth. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WEHRSCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

E. H. BoHM, J. W. FRANCISCA. 

